Rum Cake and Christmas go together like peanut butter and jelly. Like peas and carrots. Like halloween and pumpkin. Like Valentine’s Day and chocolate. At least in my book. Rum cake always appears on the holiday dessert buffet and always is one of the desserts that disappears the quickest.
And this rum cake recipe that my friend, Ree includes in her newest cookbook, A Year of Holidays, will surely become a favorite, even for those folks that swear rum cake isn’t one of their favorites. Promise.
Even though we still have a few weeks to go before the Christmas parties officially begin, when I saw the rum cake recipe in Ree’s book, I knew I couldn’t wait to try it. Although, let me tell you, it was hard to decide which recipe I wanted to try first.
As with the recipes she shares in her other cookbooks, on her blog, and on television, they all are amazing. You certainly can’t go wrong with any of Ree’s recipes, in my opinion. Or my husband’s opinion. Or my son’s opinion. Hey, we’re a pretty opinionated bunch when it comes to recipes, ya know.
And this rum cake?
Well, just like I thought, it makes an easy, yet oh so elegant dessert that will be perfect for sharing with family and friends during your holiday entertaining as well as giving to neighbors as a gift.
If it makes it out of the house, that is. Talk about deeee-licious!!!
Here’s Ree’s Christmas Rum Pudding Cake Recipe. Believe me when I say, it will be a Christmas creation everyone will request!
Rum Pudding Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- For the Rum Cake:
- 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 3.4-ounce package vanilla cook-and-serve pudding mix
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup dark rum
- For the Glaze:
- 3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks butter
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 3/4 cup dark rum
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325º F and thoroughly grease a Bundt pan. Sprinkle the brown sugar and chopped pecans in the bottom of the pan. This will serve as the topping of the cake when the cake is turned out of the pan.
- Add cake mix and pudding mix to the bowl of an electric mixer. Crack in the eggs and add water, canola oil, and rum, Mix the batter until it is smooth and totally combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer or long toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake and removed.
- When the cake has about 10 minutes remaining cooking time, make the glaze.
- Melt the butter and sugar together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Then add water and bring the mixture to a boil for 4 to 5 minutes, or until thick. Carefully add the rum to the mixture and cook for 1 more minute. (Take care when adding the alcohol to the mixture, especially if cooking over an open flame.)
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Use a skewer or long toothpick and poke holes all over the surface of the cake.
- Drizzle half the glaze over the surface of the cake, then let the cake sit for about 10 to 15 minutes to allow the cake to absorb the glaze.
- Carefully invert the cake onto a serving platter and very slowly drizzle the rest of the glaze over the top of the cake, giving the cake a chance to absorb as much as possible.
- Let the cake sit for a couple of hours to make sure it's really moist and rummy.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
Speaking of Ree’s fabulous and festive new cookbook, she’s providing THREE lucky members of the Add a Pinch family with an autographed copy of A Year of Holidays. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love her newest book. Filled with 140 of her signature step-by-step beautifully photographed guided recipes, Ree’s menus and recipes included in this book will definitely make your holiday celebrations a piece of cake! (Get it? Ha!)
It is definitely a must-have, year-round cookbook that will barely have time to make it back onto the bookshelf you’ll use it so much!
Giveaway
To enter to win an autographed copy of Ree’s A Year of Holidays, just leave me a comment telling me your favorite recipe of Ree’s.
Congratulations to the following winners:
#1275 – B. Hannaford
#1186 – Debbie Rogers
#766 – Donna P Upnorth
You can also get a few extra entries with the following, if you wanna:
- Follow Add a Pinch on Pinterest
- Follow Add a Pinch on Twitter
- Follow Add a Pinch on Google+
- Follow Robyn Stone on Google+
- Subscribe by Email
Then head back to this post and leave a comment that you did.
This giveaway ends November 7th at 11:59 PM eastern. The winners will be announced sometime the following day!
Ree is also sharing her beautiful book with a few of my friend’s and their readers as well. Just hop on over to these blogs for even more opportunities to win an autographed copy and see some of Ree’s beautiful recipes come to life!
Bev Cooks made Chipotle Chicken Chili
Recipe Girl made Pecan Pie
She Wears Many Hats made Perfect Cream Scones
Reluctant Entertainer made Mulled Apple Cider
Two Peas and Their Pod made Dulce De Leche Brownies
i am baker made Dr. Pepper Cake
Love y’all tons! Hope you love this cake and Ree’s book as much as I do!
Robyn xo
The cake turned out Wonderful. Very tasty and a big hit with our friends. Making it again for work competition.
Thanks Jess!
Did you use cook and serve pudding? Also, did you have issues with the brown sugar and pecans sticking to pan? Any adjustments to the amount of rum? Any tips would be greatly appreciated since yours is competition ready! Thanks!!
Made this Pudding Rum cake for Christmas.
Best one I’ve made, Sooooo good!
This was the best rum cake I have ever made! I made it a day ahead and it turned out so moist and delicious! I followed the recipe exactly. This one is a keeper!
I made this cake twice and both times the brown sugar/pecan topping stuck to the bottom of the pan and it was well buttered. Also, can you use instant pudding instead of cook and serrve and is there a difference? But the cane is delicious!
Years ago, I went into my office kitchen and there was a few crumbs leftover from a rum cake. It was to die for. So for years, I tried to figure out who made it to no avail. Finally, I found out it was my friend who sat right next to me but since it was a Friday and she was off every Friday, I didn’t even think of her. So I got the recipe from her. People love it. It’s identical to this recipe except it calls for no brown sugar. People say it’s better than the ones you buy in Grand Cayman.
Does Your Rum Cake need Refrigeration…. because, of the Pudding?
Hi Peggy,
You don’t have to refrigerate the rum cake. Hope you enjoy!
I have made many rum cakes over the years, but this recipe is my favorite. I do use butter to grease the bundt pan. I have used the brown sugar on the bottom with the pecans, but it tends to stick, so I substituted caramel sauce. The key is really beating for the 2 minutes for a light fluffy cake and glazing twice, in the pan and then inverted! Truly great for gift giving!
I’m so happy you like this cake, Laurie. Thanks so much.
I just made Rees pudding rum cake, which I’ve never attempted before. My boyfriend has been begging me to make one for years, something he remembered his mother making. Well I never had the pleasure of meeting her before she passed, so asking for her recipe wasn’t an option, also why I shied away from attempting one. He asked very sweetly the other day. I looked up recipes and was super excited to find one from Ree. May I tell you all, he’s smiling from ear to ear right now as the child in him is completely satisfied. I accomplished his childhood memory. I couldn’t be happier and obviously he couldn’t be either. Thank you.
Toni
Toni, it’s great that you were able to make the cake your boyfriend wanted. I love how recipes can bring back such sweet memories. xo
I don’t have Rum can I use Brandy?
I haven’t tried making this cake with brandy, June.